From its 32-mile (51-km) coastline on the Gulf of Guinea, Togo extends northward for about 320 miles (515 km) between Ghana to the west and Benin to the east to its boundary with Burkina Faso in the north.

Relief, drainage, and soils

Togo consists of six geographic regions. The low-lying, sandy beaches of the narrow coastal region are backed by tidal flats and shallow lagoons, the largest of which is Lake Togo. Beyond the coast lies the Ouatchi Plateau, which stretches about 20 miles (32 km) inland at an elevation of some 200 to 300 feet (60 to 90 metres). This is the region of the so-called terre de barre, a lateritic (reddish, leached, iron-bearing) soil.

Northeast of the plateau is a tableland, the highest elevations reaching 1,300 to 1,500 feet (400 to 460 metres). This region is drained by the Mono River and its tributaries, including the Ogou, and other smaller rivers. West and southwest of the tableland the terrain gradually rises toward the Togo Mountains, also known as the Togo-Atakora Mountains, which run across central Togo from the south-southwest to the north-northeast. Part of a chain that begins in the Atakora Mountains of Benin, the range ends in the Akwapim Hills of Ghana (see Akwapim-Togo ranges), the range ends in Benin, where it is known as the Atakora Mountains. Mount Agou (Baumann Peak), which rises to about 3,235 feet (986 metres), is the highest mountain in Togo. Beyond the Togo Mountains to the north lies the Oti River sandstone plateau. This is a savanna region drained by the Oti River, one of the main tributaries of the Volta. To the far northwest is a higher region of granite and gneiss; the cliffs of Dapaong (Dapango) are located in this region.

Climate

Togo has a tropical climate. In the south the rainy seasons occur from mid-April through June and from mid-September through October. The narrow coastal zone, which receives about 35 inches (890 mm) of precipitation annually, is the driest region. The area near Palimé, about 65 miles (100 km) inland, receives the highest amount of precipitation—about 70 inches (1,800 mm) annually. The north has only one rainy season, when precipitation averages about 45 inches (1,150 mm), mostly falling from June to the end of September; during the rest of the year the warm, dry harmattan (a dust-laden wind) predominates. Mean annual temperatures vary from the high 70s F (mid-20s C) along the coast and in the mountains to the low 80s F (high 20s C) on the northern plateau. Daily minimum temperatures reaching the high 60s F (low 20s C) are recorded in the mountains in August. Daily maxima in the low 100s F (high 30s C) occur in the north during March and April at the end of the long dry season.

Plant and animal life

Savanna-type vegetation is predominant in Togo. On the southern plateaus large trees, including the baobab, are common, but they are rare in the north. The southwestern highland regions are covered with tropical forests, also found along the river valleys. The coastal zone is dotted with mangrove and reed swamps.

Wild animals are not found in great numbers, especially in the southern and central regions. A few lions, leopards, and elephants can be seen in the north. Monkeys, snakes, and lizards are numerous in many areas, and crocodiles and hippopotamuses abound in the rivers. In the Keran Forest Reserve near Sansanné-Mango in the north, there are wild herds of buffalo, asses, warthogs, antelope, and deer. Numerous species of birds and insects are found in the country. Fish caught off the coast include mackerel, bass, seabream, red snapper, triggerfish, dorado, ray, and sole, while crustaceans include shrimp and lobster.